Separator for folders



P 1959 A. c. BEHRINGER 3,438,624

SEPARATOR FOR FOLDERS Filed May 1, 1967 Sheet of s 26 7 WV 1 0R ALFRED c. BEHR ER F/G. BY 4 April 15, 1969 A. c. BEHRINGER 3,438,624

SEPARATOF. FOR FOLDERS Filed May 1, 1967 Sheet 3 of s l N VEN TOR.

3 ALFRED C. BEHRINGER his ATTORNEYS April 1969 A. c. BEHRINGER 3,438,624

SEPARATOR FOR FOLDERS Filed May 1, 1967 Sheet 3 of 5 30 1 1 3a 20 2a 44 w 1 9 n luv 8 H l 37| 439== WI o OII'H' I 12 ImwHiIZI" M 20 m ullll {o0||| 1 Ill! [1; 1 s 1|] Il 44 Q l l i m o 0|] 1 a}! Z; 1 ll ll I Q I ll H i; 3a 20 2O 1" 3 INVENTOR.

ALFRED C. BEHRINGER is ATTORNEK? United States Patent 3,438,624 SEPARATOR FOR FOLDERS Alfred C. Behringer, Ringwood, NJ. assignor to Publication Corporation, Greenwich, Conn., a corporation of New York Filed May 1, 1967, Ser. No. 635,222 Int. Cl. B65h 29/62, 29/06 US. Cl. 271-64 17 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A separator for delivering alternate books received one after another from a folder to separate delivery points comprising two rotary fan units positioned relative to each other such that the book-receiving spaces on each traverse non-overlapping paths. Guide surfaces on one of the fans intercept alternate books and deflect them from a path leading to that fan along a path leading to the other fan. Preferably, the books from the fans are deposited on conveyors located vertically over one another and leading off in the same direction, and the fan feeding the upper conveyor is of a smaller diameter than the other fan to provide space for the upper conveyor above the lower conveyor.

Background of the invention This invention relates to a separator for delivering alternate books received one after another along a pre determined path to two separate receiving points.

The products printed in large web fed printing presses may consist of two groups of pages, each group being composed of several circumferentially adjacent pairs of page images across the width of the web. The web is then cut longitudinally to form ribbons, which are then laid in one over the other, cut, and folded to form books. The books thus include a number of folded sheets, each of which has four pages, two on the front and back of the leaf on either side of the fold line. The transverse part of the web which later makes up the book is usually referred to as the signature, and in presses used to print magazines, for example, each cylinder or a series of cylinders can, if desired, print two such signatures, one on each of the two sections of a plate cylinder surface subtended by a diametrical plane.

In many instances, a finished product will be made up of two or more books assembled together and saddle stitched through the fold line. Where a press is able to print two signatures which differ from each other in printed copy, the folder is sometimes equipped with a separator, a mechanism for delivering alternate signatures, assembled in books, to two different output belts. More particularly, the web will be printed with alternate signatures, say, signatures A and B, occurring in the sequence A, B, A, B, etc., and the folded books coming from the jaw cylinder, or fold rolls, or the like will be separated by the separator so that all books A are delivered to one output belt and all books B are delivered to a second belt. Separation of the books significantly improves the press run and bindery scheduling by making it possible to finish all books required for a given product at substantially the same time, thereby permitting the bindery to operate substantially simultaneously with the press. Folders which do not have a separator restrict the operation of the press to running one product, thereby making it necessary to run a supply of books A and then run books B before the bindery can begin assembling the books into the product. Moreover, the press can not run two different jobs, whereas those with separators can produce two products, often for different customers, simultaneously.

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Various separators have been developed and used in the past. For example, two fan units have been used, the discs of each fan staggered between the discs of the other and the units located on either side of the path taken by books delivered from the folder. One disadvantage of this mechanism. is that the books are delivered in opposite directions, thereby making product pick-up by the fly-boys for delivery to the binder more difiicult. Frequently, moreover, this type of separator is subject to jamming, particularly when operated at high speeds.

Another type of separator employs a mechanical switching mechanism for deflecting alternate books in opposite directions to fan units or the like. A switch type of separator is very definitely limited in speed because of the reciprocating motion required to accomplish the deflection of the books. Although a mechanical switching mechanism may have the advantage of being readily deactivated so that all books can be delivered at one point, when the press is used to print a product consisting of only one book, its low speed severely limits its usefulness. On the other hand, the dual fan unit types of separator in use heretofore can not readily be converted for operation with one book, as opposed to operation with two books, and this lack of versatility is detrimental to eflicient press use.

Summary of the invention There is provided, in accordance with the invention, a novel and improved separator having a number of distinct advantages over those known in the art. More par ticularly, a separator according to the invention comprises two fan units, each of which consists of a shaft carrying a series of spaced-apart discs along its length and arranged to rotate at predetermined speeds. The fan discs are provided with circumferentially spaced apart book-receiving spaces, the spaces being defined, for example, by curved fingers overlying and spaced from a segment of the disc surface. The two fan units are positioned relative to one another such that the respective book receiving spaces traverse circular paths which are non-overlapping at any point. The discs on at least one of the two fan units has guide surfaces for directing signatures coming from the folder delivery rolls into the signature receiving spaces on the other fan unit by deflecting them from the paths which they would otherwise follow. Because the fan units are arranged to traverse non-overlapping paths, the absence of any interference between them makes it possible to locate the discs directly opposite each other in common radial planes. This ensures against possible interference and jamming which can occur where staggered discs are used.

The fan discs of the respective fan units are preferably of different diameters (and therefore circumferences). This makes it possible to conveniently provide for delivery from both fans to one side of the press unit, rather than delivering to both sides, inasmuch as the delivery belt on which the smaller diameter fan deposits its signatures can be located above the belt on which the other unit delivers its signatures. The difference in diameter affords the space needed to accommodate the delivery conveyor for the first unit and yet permits the distance traveled by the books handled by both units to be kept nearly equal. It is important in high speed Work to handle all books in the same amount of time.

As a further features of the embodiments in which the fan units are of different circumferences, it becomes possible for the separator to be converted from normal operation as a separator into operation as a single fan where all signatures are delivered to one output belt. Moreover, the separator of the invention can be provided in a press not having a separator, but only one fan, with relatively little difficulty. In particular, the large diameter fan is provided with a number of book-receiving spaces so that it can receive all of the books coming from the folder, while the number of book-receiving spaces on the smaller diameter fan is such that it accommodates only one-half the total number of books and rotates at a speed by which it receives only every other book. To provide separated delivery, alternate ones of the book-receiving spaces on the large diameter fan are blocked off by specially formed inserts installed on them which have outer surfaces defining the guides for deflecting the books from the predetermined paths followed as they come from the folder along a path which will feed them to the small diameter fan. The inserts can be designed to be readily removable, thereby permitting the conversion of the separator from a configuration providing separated delivery into a normal fan which does not separate the books but delivers all of them to the delivery belt served by the large diameter unit. On the other hand, the separator can also be used with one product, that product being delivered at two points as in the normal operation with two different products.

One or both of the fan units may embody, as a safety feature, resilient retractable finger elements. In one form, the finger elements are pivotaly mounted on the fan discs at a point intermediate their ends so that when an obstruction is encountered along their trajectory, their trailing ends pivot inwardly and their leading ends outwardly, thereby permitting the finger elements to bypass any obstruction and moreover to assist in removal of the obstruction by the digging or clawing action of the leading end which, in an extended position, acts as a digging tooth. The retractable finger elements constitute a significant improvement in the construction of fan units and are useful not only in the separator of the invention but in conventional fans.

Among the important advantages of the separator of the invention is its ability to be converted easily and quickly from operation as a single delivery fan into a separator. Moreover, the ability of the unit to deliver separated products on the same side of the press facilitates product pick-up and handling in the plant. The separator of the invention can be obtained by conversion of a ordinary single delivery fan without the necessity of making radical changes in the unit; usually, a small diameter fan can be installed without relocating or without any other alteration of the large diameter conventional delivery fan other than the building of suitable guide inserts to silence every other one of the bookreceiving spaces on the conventional fan. The separator of the invention can operate at speeds accommodating to the running speeds of most printing presses.

Description of exemplary embodiment For a better understanding of the invention, reference may be made to the following description of an exemplary embodiment, taken in conjunction with the figures of the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. -1 is a side view in section taken just inside of the near frame member of an exemplary embodiment of the separator;

FIG. 2A is an enlarged view of segments of the fan units of the separator of FIG. 1;

FIG. 2B is a view similar to FIG. 2A except that the fan units are shown in different positions;

FIG. 3 is a partial side view in section showing a separator having fan units of modified construction; and

FIG. 4 is a top view of the separator of FIG. 1, certain elements not being shown in order to provide greater clarity of illustration.

The exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2A, 2B and 4 is a converted, conventional single delivery fan associated with a conventional folder (not shown). In the original form of the unit, the books, designated by the letter B in the drawings, are fed in a substantially vertically downward direction from the folder by a pair of feed rolls 12 and 13 and impinge against the face of fixed guide elements 8 mounted on brackets 9 clamped to a transverse shaft 10. The guides 8 deflect them into a fan unit 16 located below the feed rolls and composed of a number of fan discs 18 mounted at intervals along a rotatable shaft 19 driven by a suitable gear train from the main press drive system (not shown). As each book comes down from the feed rolls 12 and 13 and the guide, it is received in one of a series of book-receiving spaces S1 to S6, each of which is defined by a segment of the outer surface of each disc 18 and a curved finger 20 attached to each disc and extending over each such surface segment. The fan unit 16 is rotated in the direction indicated by the arrows so that the book-receiving spaces are traveling at a speed somewhat less than the speed of the books. The momentum of the books carries them into position in the book-receiving spaces, and they are conducted by the fan around and against a downwardly extending stop member 24 which causes them to be released from the book-receiving spaces and to drop downwardly onto an output conveyor 26. Fan units of the type described above have been used for many years. It should be noted that all books coming from the folder travel the same path and are discharged onto the delivery conveyor 26.

In the exemplary embodiment, the conventional fan unit 16 described briefly above is converted into a separator, but it will be understood that a fan unit utilizing the principles of the invention can, of course, be constructed at the outset, rather than by conversion. In particular, the separator of the invention comprises a second fan unit 30 constructed in a manner similar to the unit 16. In particular, the unit 30 is composed of a series of fan discs 32 mounted at intervals along a shaft 34. Located at diametrically opposite positions on the several discs 32 are curved fingers 36 which define with flattened portions 37 on the discs book-receiving spaces T1 and T2.

The second fan unit 30 may include cam operated grippers 38 mounted on a side of at least two of the fan discs 30, although this is generally not necessary except for light-weight products containing say less than eight signatures. Generally, heavier products have sutficient momentum to stay with the fan without grippers. As may be best seen in FIG. 2A, the grippers include fingers 38a that engage the folded edge of the books B against a block 3812, the gripping fingers 38a being attached by clamp :members 380 to transverse shafts 38d extending through the fan discs 30 and rotatable with them. As is well known to those skilled in the art, a crank arm (not shown) is coupled to the ends of shafts and is operated by a stationary cam at one end of the press to open and close the grippers at predetermined points during the rotation of the fan unit or by other rotary elements of the press with which they may be associated. As will be described in more detail hereinafter, the books B received by the second fan unit 30 are gripped by the grippers and carried around against a stop 40 which removes them and permits them to fall onto an output conveyor 42 mounted above the main conveyor 26.

Referring particularly to FIG. 2A, the main fan unit 16, which would ordinarily take all books delivered from the folder, is altered in the conversion by blocking off every other one of the book-receiving spaces. In particular, a blocking and guide assembly 44 composed of members 44a and 44b is attached in a suitable manner to each finger 20 defining the blocked oif spaces. The blocking and guide assemblies 44 overlie the outer surface of the adjacent finger 20 following the one which they block off, and the outer surface of the assembly 44 acts as a guide and directs the books into the book-receiving spaces on the auxiliary fan unit 30 in the manner portrayed in FIG. 2A.

It is important to observe that the circular paths traversed by the book-receiving spaces on the respective fan units are non-overlapping, thereby permitting the discs making up each unit to be located in common planes perpendicular to the axes of rotation of the units. This feature provides for more positive operation of the apparatus by making it necessary for books received by the respective units to follow paths which are noncoincident.

More particularly, referring to FIGS. 1 and 2A, alternate books, say books B1, are fed downwardly by the folder feed rolls 12 and 13 and are deflected in the direction of rotation of the main fan unit 16 by impinging first against the guide member 8 and then against the guide surface of guide and block assembly 44 associated with the large fan 16. They then travel by their momentum through a space defined between the guide surface of the assembly 44 and a special guide member 48 which, as shown in FIG. 1, is pivotably mounted on a bracket 49 and is normally spring-loaded by a spring 50 against a stop 51 set to locate the guide 48 in its normal guiding position, as shown. This mounting arrangement for guide 48 permits it to pivot (clockwise with respect to FIG. 1) such that paper wads that might otherwise jam in the space can pass by. This is a safety feature which is optical but of course preferred.

The guide member 48 and guide surface of the assembly 44 coact to direct the books B1 into a bookreceiving space, say T1, on the auxiliary fan unit 30. As soon as the folded edge engages the downwardmost end of the book-receiving space, the grippers 38, if provided, are closed to engage the folded edge of the books B1 against the blocks 38b. Further rotation of the fan unit 30 pulls each book B1 around until it engages the stop 40, by which time the gripper has opened, and the book is disengaged from the book-receiving spaces and is thus permitted to fall onto the conveyor 42. In traversing a path around the lower part of the fan unit 30, the trailing positions of the books are guided by a guide assembly 43 (FIG. 1) adjacent the end of the conveyor 42 such that a smooth curvature of the books is retained for better release and deposition onto the conveyor. The guide assembly 43 includes guide plates 43a which are mounted on a transverse bar 4312 arranged to release and pivot out of the way of any paper wad coming down through the separator.

In the meantime, referring next to FIG. 2B, another book B2 has been delivered downwardly by the feed rolls 12 to 13 and is directed into the space S2. The book B2 then travels by its own momentum, guided by the fan unit 16, into engagement with the stop 24 which removes it from the space S2 and drops it onto the output conveyor 26. The operation continues in the manner described above and as portrayed in FIGS. 2A and 2B so that alternate books are received by the fan unit 16 and by the fan unit 30 in alternation, thereby dividing the books between the two delivery conveyors 26 and 42. The delivery conveyors then move the books off in a fannedout row to the ends of the conveyors (not shown) where they may be picked up and removed for assembly into the ultimate finished product.

As will be apparent to those skilled in the art, the fan units 16 and 30 are driven so that the signature receiving spaces are traveling at equal linear speeds, thereby bringing their respective book-receiving spaces into position to receive alternate books at the proper times. This is, of course, accomplished by establishing the proper relationships between the angular rate of rotation and the mean diameter to the signature receiving spaces.

FIG. 3 shows another embodiment of the invention incorporating modifications of the fan units. The main fan unit 16 is similar'to the fan 16 of the first embodiment insofar as it is made up of a plurality of spacedapart discs 18 carried by a rotating transverse shaft 19. It differs, however, insofar as the bookreceiving spaces S are defined between sections of the disc surfaces and combination guide and finger members 100 which Cir include a relatively large body portion a and a finger portion 100]). The peripheral surface of the portion 100a serves as the guiding surface for directing books into the book-receiving spaces T on the fan unit 30' and are equivalent to the assemblies 44 in the embodiment of FIGS. 1, 2A and 2B. The finger poritons 10% are, of course, equivalent to the fingers 20 of the first embodiment. By comparing FIGS. 2A and 3, it will be observed that every other book-receiving space has been omitted in the second embodiment, the fan unit 16 thus carrying three book-receiving spaces located 120 apart. A feature of note in both embodiments is that the guides 44 or 100, respectively, have leading edges 44c or 1000 which move into position closely adjacent the ends of the fingers 36 or 36' on the smaller fan, so that each book-receiving space is substantially closed off as it transverses the lower quadrant of its movement. Thus the books carried by the larger or main fan are prevented from interfering with those carried by the smaller fan.

The smaller diameter fan unit 30' includes fingers 36 arranged to retract or collapse in the event of a jam-up of paper in the separator. More particularly, slots are formed in the fan discs 32' and the fingers 36 are fastened to hinge elements 112 pivotably mounted by pins 114 extending through the slots. Springs 116 are installed in the slots 110 and urge the fingers 36' into their normal operating position, as shown. In that position, the margins of the root parts 36a of the fingers engage the edges of the discs on either side of the slots 110. Guide elements 118 are fastened to the root parts 36a of the fingers to keep them from rocking and hold them in position in the radial planes of the disc.

In operation any paper wads entering the separator will cause the fingers 36 to retract against the springs 116 and enable the tip parts of the fingers to pass the wads without bending or breaking. Moreover, the root ends 36a of the fingers 36 will be pivoted out and will serve as teeth to claw out any jammed wads that do not otherwise pass through the separators. As was the case with the retractable guide 48, the retractability of the fingers 36' is a safety feature, though one of considerable advantage because although jamming is not a frequent occurrence, it can happen, notably due to improper splice make-up when paper rolls are changed.

It will be understood that the above-described embodiments of the invention are intended to merely be exemplary, and those skilled in the art will be able to make numerous variations and modifications. of them without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. All such variations and modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A separator for delivering alternate folded books traveling one after another along a predetermined path to separate points comprising a first. fan unit having means defining a plurality of spaced-apart first bookreceiving spaces, a second rotating fan unit having means defining a plurality of second book-receiving spaces, the book-receiving spaces on the respective units being located relative to one another and to the rate of rotation of the unit such that the folded books are received by them in alternation, the two fan units being located relative to one another such that the respective book-receiving spaces traverse circular paths which are non-overlapping at any portion thereof, and one of the fan units having means thereon defining a guiding surface for guiding those folded books impinging thereon into the book-receiving spaces of the other fan unit.

2. A separator according to claim 1 wherein the fan units are positioned such that the point at which the paths traversed by the book-receiving spaces of the respective units are closest together is offset from the said predetermined path along which the books are traveling in a direction such that the guide surfaces on the one unit traverse a path intersecting the said predetermined path, thereby deflecting the books from the said predetermined path into the book-receiving spaces on the other fan unit.

3. A separator according to claim 1 wherein each fan unit includes a plurality of spaced-apart discs, the discs of the respective units being located opposite each other and in common planes perpendicular to the axes of rotation of the respective units.

4. Separator according to claim 1 wherein at least the said second fan unit includes means for gripping each book as it is received therein and releasing it at a predetermined point.

5. A separator according to claim 4 wherein the finger elements of at least one of the fan units are resiliently and retractably mounted such that they can deflect and bypass any obstruction in their trajectory.

6. A separator according to claim 5 wherein the resiliently and retractably mounted finger elements are pivotably mounted for radially inward movement of their trailing ends, with respect to the direction of rotation of the fan discs.

7. A separator according to claim 5 wherein the resiliently and retractably mounted finger elements are pivotably mounted intermediate their ends such that their leading ends are movable radially outwardly upon inward movement of their trailing ends and constitute digging teeth to assist in dislodging any obstruction along their trajectories.

8. A separator according to claim 1 wherein each of the fan units comprises a shaft carrying a plurality of spaced-apart disposed substantially perpendicular to the axis of the shaft, and wherein the book-receiving spaces of the respective units are defined by portions of the disc and finger elements carried on the discs and overlying the said disc portions.

9. A separator according to claim 8 wherein the guide surfaces on the one fan unit are defined by surface portions of the discs, at least part of each guide surface being located to follow a path closely approaching the path of the book-receiving spaces of the other fan unit.

10. Separator according to claim 8 wherein the first fan unit includes additional book-receiving spaces, the said first spaces and additional spaces being positioned to receive all books one after the other, blocking members mounted in the additional spaces and closing them off to render them inoperative, the outer surfaces of the blocking members constituting the said guide surfaces.

11. A separator according to claim 8 wherein the discs of the second fan unit are of substantially smaller diameter than the discs of the first fan unit.

12. Separator according to claim 8 further comprising supplemental guide means positioned adjacent said second unit and cooperative with the guide surfaces on the said first fan unit to define a delivery path leading into the book-receiving spaces of the second fan unit.

13. A separator according to claim 1 further comprising an output conveyor associated with each fan unit and positioned to receive the folded products separately therefrom.

14. A separator according to claim 13 further comprising an output conveyor associated with and positioned to receive the folded books from each fan unit, the output conveyor for the second unit overlying a substantial part of the output conveyor of the first unit.

15. A fan unit for receiving printed books and delivering them to an output point comprising a rotatable member, and at least one finger element defining with a part of the periphery of the rotatable member a book-receiving space, the finger element being resiliently and retractably mounted such that it can deflect and bypass any obstruction along its trajectory and is restored to normal operating position thereafter.

16. A fan unit according to claim 15 wherein the finger element is pivotably mounted for radially inward retraction of its trailing end with respect to the rotatable member.

17. A fan unit according to claim 16 wherein the finger element is pivotably mounted intermediate its ends such that its leading end is movable outwardly upon inward movement of its trailing end and constitutes a digging tooth to assist in dislodging any obstructions along its trajectory.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS RICHARD E. AEGERTER, Primary Examiner.

U.S. Cl. X.R. 9393 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE PATENT OFFICE Washington, D.C. 20231 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3 ,438 ,624 April 15 1969 Alfred C. Behringer It is certified that error appears in the above identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 2, line 64, "features" should read feature Column 3, line 24, "pivotaly" should read pivotably Column 5, line 23, "optical" should read optional Column 7, line 32, after "spaced-apart" insert discs Signed and sealed this 14th day of April 1970.

(SEAL) Attest:

WILLIAM E. SCHUYLER, JI

Commissioner of Patent:

Edward M. Fletcher, Jr.

Attesting Officer 

